Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1887-10-28
A CRAVE QUESTION.

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peals with equal force To the rich and the
poor, the high and the low, for in it Il
involved the social, political and material
status of the people Of the entire State. II
is the great issue before the people of Mary.
land in the present canvass and should
have the fullest thought and discussion
through the press and otherwise. 1t is not
a party question and has so been declared
on the stump and through legitimate chan
nels by leading Democrats, and, therefore
every Democrat is left free TO exercise his
own individual judgment
There have been some good and strong
reasons advanced showing why there should
be some changes in the organic law of the
State, but these desired changes can be ef
fected by amendment, for which there is
ample provision made. In many of the
States amendments 10 the organic law have
been made from time to time, why cant the
same thing be accomplished in Maryland
and the enormous expense of three quar-
tiers of a million Of dollars for Constitu
tional Convention be avoided Let US bring
TO bear little good common sense and wise
economy and save the taxpayer and the
farmer any additional taxation Let US lock
at it in practical manner-why, if an old
farmer wants new roof to his house OF
his barn, or any of his outhouses, he does
not 60 to the expense of tearing down the
entire building, but like wise and frugal
man, simply removes the old roof and puts
on new one at a small expense, and who
will not say that the trainers OF our present
Constitution, when they made provision for
amendments to the Constitution, did so from
a desire to avoid the great expense attend
ing the formation and adoption of new
Constitution.
With the exception of changing the judi
cial system and giving TO Judges higher @la.
rtes and allowing the canal to be sold with.
out subjecting the sale to ratification by the
peoples representatives, no amendments are
required, as all that is proposed to be done
can be accomplished by legislative enact
ments. The Legislature Of a State is en-.
trusted with the whole law making power
Of the sovereign people of the State. Unless
prohibited by the Constitution of the United
States, or by the organic law of the State,
the Legislature Of Maryland can pass any
act which they may deem expedient They
cannot change the Judiciary, nor move the
Court of Appeals, nor authorize the sale of
the States interest in the public works with
out ratification. Neither can they tax the
property of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail.
road Company exempted by contract from
taxation, nor can Hss be done By a aaew Con.
stitution, because the supreme authority Of
the Federal Constitution would intervene
and protect the rights of the company "The
power of taxation is sovereign power, the
exercise of which has been delegated by the
people to the Legislature Controlled by
the principle of uniformity and equalization
required by the State Constitution they can
tax all the property in the State except the
exempted property of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company"
In former articles we have set forth at
length the reasons why our present Consti-
tuition should be maintained, they are more
potent in our spinion than those that have
been urged against it, and hence we claim
that 1t is the duty of every good and honest
man in the State not only to vote, but to
use his individual exertions and influence
against the calling of Constitutional Con-
vention. 1t would entail upon the people
revolution that neither their wants nor
the exigencies of the times demand. The
present Constitution is good enough for the
present-for over twenty years we have
prospered and lived happily under its pro.
visions. So smoethly has flown the current
of civil power and SO easy has been the
burden of government that the people have
forgotten its existence in the enjoyment of
Its security. Under it intellect and inge-
nuity have expended their utmost resources
in the accumulation Of vast reservoirs of
wealth, in scientific discovery, in capital,
in machinery and skilled labor, which, in
their turn, have given leisure and ease for
intellectual effort.
We are satisfied that the masses Of the
Democratic voters are opposed to the call
ing of Constitutional Convention, other.
wise it would have been emphasized in no
doubtful meaning at the late Democratic
Convention. The Republican party stands
pledged against the calling of Convention
and is committed against a new Constitu
ton AT this time, which is one virtue linked
TO an almost endless chain of wrongs. 1t is
the self constituted political bosses in the
Democratic party who are clamoring for a
new Constitution. There are some offices in
the State which they have not been able to
grasp and make subservient to their base
purposes. In this fight they care naught
for the interest of the people, every step
they take, every word they utter, every prem
Use they made is in the direction of their own
selfish political ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. They know
that every change that has been mentioned
in connection with the present Constitution
can be accomplished by amendments, yet
to carry out their purposes, fulfill certain
contracts they have made, they would
wreck every interest in the State, from the
present able and honest Judiciary of Balti-
more city down TO the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal. They are aware that the people
have just as much of taxation as they car
possibly stand under, yet they would have
this Constitutional Convention at an ex
pensc of three quarters of a million of dol
lars and say to every farmer and Taxpayer
come up and bear your proportion of the
additional taxation.
We believe the people of Maryland have
too much good sense, too much selfrespect
10 suffer themselves 10 be made the in
struments, the mere tools, of an element in
the party in the establishment of regime
that must and will inevitably lead to their
enslavement The issue is squarely before
US, If We are Indifferent or have not the
manliness to meet it, then let us submit to